Washington State – June 2015

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A northbound Union Pacific stack train with marine containers from APL, K-Line, Hapag-Lloyd and others rolls through Sunnyside Park on June 07, 2015.

I attended a work conference in Texas last spring and since I was already halfway across the country I decided that I’d might as well just keep heading west and spend some time visiting family and traipsing about the Pacific Northwest.

Continue reading “Washington State – June 2015”

A mid-Autumn trip to Bear Mountain State Park

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A southbound intermodal train crosses the causeway at the north end of Iona Island as it speeds towards New Jersey on CSX’s River Subdivision..

On August 24, 2014 I was able to spend a few hours trackside around Bear Mountain State Park along the Hudson River in New York State.   I’d wanted to check out this area for awhile and it ended up being a decent day.  We didn’t hike up the mountain though as we weren’t entirely sure where we could get a good vantage point.  Unfortunately, what you see here are pretty much all the photo’s I got as the CF card in my camera got corrupted somehow.  Oh well, maybe that experience will give me the kick I need to get a new(er) Nikon. Continue reading “A mid-Autumn trip to Bear Mountain State Park”

Norfolk Southern’s camp train visits Northampton.

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NS’s camp train set up to house the crew working preparing the Connecticut River line for Amtrak service.

After years of discussion and planning and more discussion and criticism and a bit of arguing and yet more discussion followed by what amounted to only a few months worth of work (spread out over a number of those years) Pan Am’s Connecticut River Line is almost ready for it’s first revenue passenger run in 25 years.  The work peaked in July when Norfolk Southern’s camp train and a small army of track workers arrived. Continue reading “Norfolk Southern’s camp train visits Northampton.”

Brunswick, Maine

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Amtrak’s Downeaster departs Brunswick, ME heading south while Maine Eastern’s Mid Coast Limited awaits it’s next run on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014.

My girlfriend and I took a trip up to Maine in mid October and spent a night in Brunswick.  Our hotel was just across the street from the Amtrak station and I managed to get a few shots that evening and the next morning.  The lighting was pretty low that night (and I forgot to adjust the ISO on my camera) but I made do.  It’s pretty up there in the Fall.  Next year I might take a bit more time to actually chase the Maine Eastern on it’s run to Rockport. Continue reading “Brunswick, Maine”

Mass Central Open House

MCER 1750 basks in the warm June sun.
MCER 1750 basks in the warm June sun.

As part of the Northeast/New England RPM Meet in Collinsville, CT there are a number of tours available to participants. This year I went to Palmer, MA for the Mass Central Railroad’s open house. Lighting was a little tough since we was there at high noon on a gorgeous June 1st, but I did my best to get a few shots of the equipment and facility Continue reading “Mass Central Open House”

Coastal Connecticut – September 2013

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An Amtrak Acela Express train speeds south through Old Saybrook, CT. on Sept. 6, 2013

Tired of being inside while the weather was so beautiful, and a little bummed about not having had much time to be trackside over the summer, a friend and I took a day back in September and drove to the Connecticut shore. We made a stop in Essex to take a look at the steam operation (not really my thing, but the ancient GE diesels on the property were neat) then spent quite a bit of time around Old Saybrook and Old Lyme before working our way back north through Berlin and Windsor Locks.

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Trackside in New England: May 2012 – March 2013

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MBTA GP40MC No. 1119 leads a westbound into the station at Ayer, Ma on Oct. 8, 2012.  I went to a wedding in Portland on the 7th and stopped here on the way back to see what there was to see.

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any trackside shots.  I’ve been getting out though when I can.  Here are a few from New England in 2012 and 2013 that I haven’t shared yet. Continue reading “Trackside in New England: May 2012 – March 2013”

2010 Railfanning Retrospective

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A westbound CSX light engine move crosses the diamond at Palmer, MA on March 16 2010.

I spent some time over the last couple of weeks browsing through my trackside photos from 2010. Though I didn’t get out nearly as much as I had in previous years, I did manage to get some decent shots. I think I’ll probably make a tradition out of this post as it’s a nice way to put the previous year into perspective and provides a good deal of inspiration to get back outside and shoot some more. Continue reading “2010 Railfanning Retrospective”

Rhinecliff, NY – March 2009

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A northbound Amtrak train rolls into the station at Rhinecliff, NY behind P32AC-DM #706

On March 7, 2009 we spent the day around the Hudson River. It was a mostly disappointing expedition considering how much driving was necessary, however I did get some decent shots at the Rhinecliff, NY station. As I recall, it wasn’t actually that cold while we were there, but it did rain a bit and there was a lot of ice on the river. Continue reading “Rhinecliff, NY – March 2009”